Pivoted lever type line clamp



19153 E. A. PETERSQN 2,649,635

PIVOTED LEVER TYPE LINE CLAMP Filed July 5, 1950 INVENTOR. ERNE5 TA. PETERSON Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to line clamping means, and more particularly to a device which i may be readily attached to a double strand of cable or the like so as to prevent relative displacement of the strands.

There has long been a need for a simple device which can be quickly and selectively clamped to or released from a pair of lines of cable, wire or the like whereby the lines will be securely maintained against relative movement. Such a device can be used when it is necessary to temporarily splice two lines together, or when it is desired to hold a bight in a single line. It is clear that when rope or similar flexible material is utilized, it is generally not too difficult to tie easily-loosened knots to accomplish the foregoing. However, when steel cable or wires are used, the limited degree of flexibility of the material prevents such easy attachment, and it is for this reason that numerous devices have heretofore been produced which could be used to splice a, pair of cables. The most common of the prior art devices comprises a C-shaped member having threaded ends, a plate element with apertures to receive the free ends of the C- member, and a pair of nuts threadedly engaged with such ends. When the lines are placed in the C-member, and the nuts tightened, the plate element will be urged into intimate engagement with one of the lines and frictionally secure the lines in place. This type of clamp has been widely used, but has not met with enthusiastic acceptance because of the amount of time required to secure the same to the lines. Other devices, while possibly shortening this time element, are either extremely complicated or unwieldy, or due to their excessive cost prevent their widespread acceptance by the trade.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cable clamp which is inexpensive to manufacture, but which is sufiiciently rugged to withstand the normal loads or abnormal stresses which may be imposed on it while being secured to the cables.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forthin the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanymg and forming part of the specification. It is to beunderstood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and specification may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clamp showing the same in operative engage ment with a pair of cables.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cam element of the device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1 illustrating the cam element in its freeposition, portions of the device being broken away in order to more clearly disclose the internal construction.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 llustrating the cam element in its cable engaging position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the clamp portion of the de- It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clamping device which can be readily applied to a plurality of cables or like elements whereby said cables will be securely and frictionally maintained against relative axial displacement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simplified clamping device for a plurality of cables wherein said device may be selectively secured to or released from the cables by a single manual operation of the user.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which improved cable securing and locking means are incorporated therein and by means of which the cables may be frictionally engaged around the greater portion of their respective peripheries.

vice.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the lines 6'6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of another modified form of my invention, portions of the view being broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the internal construction.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the clamp disclosed in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a slightly modified cam element.

R.eferring to Figure 1 of the drawing, my device is shown in operative engagement with two cables II and I2 respectively, the cables either being two separate lines, or being part of the same line which may have been doubled back on itself. It will be understood that when the word cable is used, such word is intended to include wire, rope or similar elements, as the clamp may be successfully utilized with any of such 3 ments, first a U-shaped member I3 for receiving the cables, and second, a cam M for urging the latter into intimate and frictional locking engagement with the member 13.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the member l3 includes a pair of parallel spaced ears [6 and I! joined together along their bottom edges by an intermediate curved section [8. The ears are here shown as being substantially rectangulaIE in Shape and are spacedapart sufficiently to receive the cables with the peripheries of the latter elements in relatively snug engagement with the inner walls of the ears. The-upper ends of the ears may besourved; as; shown at I9 in order to eliminate sharp corners which might cause injury to the worker ,w hem using the device. Matching slots 2|i and 2; are also provided in the ears, the slots being positioned transversely across and extending teapproximately the center of the widths thereof, and manran d torreceive-z h loam-element, I 4;: it will a s be n ted thatrthe. terminal; ends of sthersl --arei-;provided,; withsfinlargedlmadialmortions 23 wand 2-tz-respeetivelyrfor ,a gurnose ta.- eheh -,aiter-described.

The cam M, as here shown, is inithepfprm of a I bar-, (and "comprises la: fl n e isla d: an arm H Zlextending at right angles -f-170m-the-center of e the flange wlpisposed '.1Q1fm ally-. to: :the; general -p;lan e' t arm 21 and extending frorrr thesdistal 1-,--e nds ofsthe; flange Z6 are a:,pair of lockinglugs i 28 and 29,:and ar-camtlug 3,1 formingszananwze las-extension of arm 21,., It willbe-notedithat w -thea thickness ofxthe material ofntheuflan e 26 1.3: and: itssa socia eda-lugs ispsufiiciently small to enable themam, t4 toybe inserted in thezslots 2| and 22 when thearm is in, the-werticalposition hown Elie-um 3n:However umnrotati n f Liz-the :cam.-.un i:1 itsassnme eth mosi ion shown in F re 4, the d p h oifiahe zflan elwirllnrerent its aqbe n wi hdrawnvfr m-t hesslots due t -the n ry of a portion of the flangeintoltherterminal portions; 2'3. and; 2.4!v Qfirliheuslots. t It:;Wi1l :thus be wse n: hat-. he-m w 1.4 enl rbe, eas y-inser ed 0: .the- U=mem er t3, sod-one:- sat e'i m is n: nt.-A11Pr. sht Position; bu whenz herarmrisp vd 0 h horizon al or: lockineaposi-ti ndndiacated in Figures Land 4-,-, release of thegcam requiresavdeliberate,li-itingracllion.

The cables are securely engaged im the U- mernbe1- due to (the rdownwardepressureeex r dz ni-thez-npp rm t able by-s loclging lug; 3!, the latter element preferably being grooved or r-t-notoh di ndheef ce 32. inword n to effect a bi locking position. As best seen in Figure da-rthe -dglug 31,,actuallyicompressesgan; uppen-portion of nable, I l-,,-.,andl so lpng asl-the. load; on: the cable is;.-exerte d inane-direction oirthearro-w; the-cam locking lugwill, increase its locking, :TfQl'GB yyvith a any-in rease intthesload, If desired 'several of the units may be-zplaced. atgsspacedpositions ,malonguthe cable ,therebyiurther increasing the loads that may be safely;carried,-v amiicalso it a. isucontemplated toiiacezalternateuememhers in =pnpos fien directions.- .whereby directionally, ,oppo- -..-z s ite -loads ,will becarriedfby alternate/clamps. 'I'he slugs Mir-and- 29 are utilized. tqpreventethe em firsyfroin fieg ingz outwardly when laterallforces ,mare impos'ed tthereon,,-.such ilu s: epreferably, extendingdownwardhi to ,engage the, outer,- faces of the. ears atpositionsiadjacent themaximum stress =1il .-1;?H0WY if desired, t e lugs m y aviGXtend upwardlmand asshown in Figure 9,vlugs .Ji 1nd: i'liargelpmvided whichiwil-l' engage pore 4 tions of the ears both above and below the U- member slots.

In Figures and 6, I have illustrated a somewhat modified form of U-member. In this case (S the inner surface of the ears Hi and I! below the slots is provided with a plurality of preferably continuous protuberances 4i forming a modulated recess for reception of the cables. With this form of U-member, the protuberances mill; greatly increasehcthe tfnictional locking "strength of the device.

In Figures '7 and 8, a further modified form of the invention is illustrated. The U-member is sznsimilar tQathOSfi heretofore described, except that the distance between the lower portion I 8 and the slo'ts is slightly greater in order to accommodate ,aolocking plate 46 between the upper surface of the cable H and the slots. The plate 46 .isscorrugated or notched on its lower surface 41 and is arranged to'overlie the entire length of ,;c,able inserted .betWBcnhthe ears,.- In thiamanr,-.-w-hen then-cam L4 isplaced in itsloc s he p ;1 :siti m, he mglug 3.l,.willien ele the pp m z qe 48 ofyytherplate lfiandior'cimy depress the latter against the cable lh Thus, instead of -qthesingle contact of theicamduglwith thenable, l; q-thetplate-willuengage ,agreater portion".of the oa-ble length and; thereby increase theiholding ;-o-;- power ofvtheaclamp, I-t,;wil1, be. noted ,that, the S ltplate is provided withcfiange'si 4.91 t the ends fPtheIBOf, -,such-..-flanges engaging the; edges of the s years and preventing,displacement of .the plate in the:direction oflthe cable load ,The-plate nwmay be-leasiiy inserted insthe Lhm'ember by drop- 3? ping it#intowposition-rfromathe,open..end Ofrthe emember. The.-:disadvantage at. using aaextra element in :this: form oiael-amp is, overcome. by w the: added -.-st-rengths gained, sands for-.amany, -installationsfithisembodiment of;.-imrvinventionlwill be preferablya used.

It will thus be seen :t-hat t'll-z-havedorqvided an extremely simpleand i-nexpensivee clapmpihgade- -5--vice"--which--canb'ewinserted on a; plurality? of cables in a- -f-raction' of the-time heretoforeirequi red for, the same operation?- As there are no delicate parts such as threads, the clam-p 'may .4 be used over long periods of time and absorbre- .u-i.peatedhammermews"when thezcam is being 5,0: forced-into. i siqckin n sition without renderin 1 sa devicein perative.

. r-Lelaimz Apparatusflon. clamping a pair, oimsiables. or h l keia ainst relative disp aoementcomprisin ablesreceivineemembenLand a;.cam.member, .ia aid cable-receivin ;member..comprising a veri -.tic allyi; extending-bifurcated 1 holder, reach of. ,the furcat-ions lcomprisingiansean arranged, to, be in .relat-iyely-.ssnu en a emen with Ca horizontally 9: d po dcable nlaced-betweentheiears; aligned #:1510113 means in each ointhe rearsh-ezrtenslingjsubm tantially parallel to thewcableuwherinlaced be- 7 .1 ,ttweenstheears, ieachslot. having anienlarged t rminal portion, said cam membernomprisingaloar ;f,,.substantial1y,.. rectangular, cross, section proportioned to, fit saidsslotsfland, to. turn in said nlarged.Jp0rtion,.,saidcamrmem er. havin arm proje tin perpendicularly to .Lsai'd bar. outside said ears to prcventspreading, thereof, and an 9. activat ng i arm. substantially ,perpfindicular' to i an m en a in means dependineirom .s id. had" intermedi e. said arms .and' adapted to ..(..engag e .and... clamn, said cableiwhen saidcam amember isiturned to appos ti n wherein a idi s- Lonal. qinthe .Qross. s ction cooperating with the 5 enlarged slot terminals prevents withdrawal of Number the clamping means. 805,675 ERNEST A. PETERSON. 856,256 1,146,083 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 1,921,236 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,936,323

Number Name Date Number 552,501 Snively Dec. 31, 1895 10 47 0 644,118 Wiley Feb. 27, 1900 6 Name Date Shive Nov. 28, 1905 Herbert June 11, 1907 Lord July 13, 1915 Erickson Aug. 8, 1933 Bowen v Nov. 21, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 14, 1936 

